Feature| Published in The Telegraph on 13 March 2011 | By: Catherine Paver
Does your child have a special gift? Catherine Paver explains how to
identify and develop talent.
Intelligence may be compared to a lens: we all see through one, but, says psychologist Dr Linda Silverman, 'gifted individuals view the world through a microscope lens and the highly gifted through an electron microscope. They see ordinary things in very different ways and often see what others simply cannot." The right education can help develop enhanced academic ability or a special talent in a particular area.
What is meant by the term 'gifted'?
Professional opinion varies, but ‘high learning potential’ is how it is defined by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). ‘It implies that you need to work at your talent,’ says Denise Yates, NAGC Chief Executive. This applies to every gift - from ballet to maths.
What are the signs?
Gifted children may have a thirst for knowledge, an amazing memory and a vivid imagination. Making original connections is another sign, as is concentrating for long periods. Very bright children may prefer adult company and invent extra rules to make games more interesting.
They may not show all these signs, however, or be good at everything. Some musically gifted children are also highly academic; others are merely brilliant musicians. And IQ tests do not identify every skill; creativity may not show up on them at all.
The NAGC has excellent factsheets on its website (www.nagcbritain.org.uk) about the signs displayed by gifted children, and their needs.
Is a specialist school necessary?
If your child is gifted, especially in the performing arts or music, it can be worth considering a specialist school. These provide academic breadth and many pupils achieve excellent exam results.
For children who have a gift for academic subjects or sport, a good mainstream school with a strong track record in the relevant area provides the best basis for developing it. This also applies if your child lacks the drive to focus on their talent. After-hours drama schools launch many children into professional shows.
If so, at what age?
There are no rules: it depends on the child. Choir schools generally expect pupils to start at eight. If in doubt, though, do not start at a specialist school too young. ‘Treat it like any boarding school,’ advises Janette Wallis of the Good Schools Guide. ‘Parents tell us the best age for entry is 13.' And for some subjects such as drama, which does not need to be started at as early an age as music or dance, it may be beneficial to wait until the sixth form.
Starting younger can work for those who are already sure what they want, however. Alex Edmundson, 20, joined Chetham’s School of Music at the age of nine. ‘As soon as I walked through the gate, I felt at home. I loved being around people with the same passion,’ he says.
The key is to consider your child’s social development
as well as their talent. Ask how many pupils of their own age will study
along with them, for instance.
Scholarships and bursaries
Many specialist schools offer places to gifted pupils who cannot afford their fees. Another option is to try for a scholarship at an independent school with a good track record in the relevant subject. Traditionally, scholarships did not provide more than 50 per cent of fees, but today a gifted child could be entitled to more.
Life beyond school
‘Gifted children have special needs,’ says Lyn Allcock, gifted child consultant for MENSA. Parents are as vital as schools in recognising and meeting them. For example, children may get frustrated when they cannot write as fast they think. A tutor may help, especially if the child also has a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, which can hide their gift.
‘If you teach them one thing, teach them how to fail,’ says Denise Yates of the NAGC. This means having a Plan B as regards a career, and advising on how to deal with disappointment, which hits hard if a child is not used to it.
They need to be let loose among books, museums and other bright children. The NAGC runs local groups that let gifted children and their parents form friendships with those in a similar situation.
The jargon
While 'gifted' and 'talented' describe children with particular gifts, 'special needs' refers to particular difficulties - although a child may have both.
In the state sector, 'specialist' refers to a school with a subject bias, such as an arts college. It has specialist teachers in this area and some pupils with a talent for it. In the independent sector, 'specialist' usually denotes a school that nurtures a certain talent, but you should always check.
Useful contacts
National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/
Tel: 0845 450 0295
MENSA – The High IQ Society
http://www.mensa.org.uk/
Tel: 01902 772 771
The Good Schools Guide
http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/
Tel: 0207 801 0191
The Council for Dance Education and Training
http://www.cdet.org.uk/
Tel: 020 7240 5703
The National Council for Drama Training
http://www.ncdt.co.uk/
Tel: 020 7407 3686
The Choir Schools Association
http://www.choirschools.org.uk/
Tel: 01359 221333
The Music and Dance Scheme
http://www.education.gov.uk/b0068711/mds
Department for Education web pages on assisted places at specialist
schools
e.g. Royal Ballet School.
Tel: 0370 000 2288
Specialist Schools & Academies Trust
https://www.ssatrust.org.uk/Pages/home.aspx
Tel: 020 7802 2300
Famous five
Hermione Norris – Elmhurst Ballet School,
Surrey, now Elmhurst School for Dance, Birmingham
Attended by the actress from age 11 on a scholarship. ‘I laughed a lot
and I appreciate having had a classical training.’
Nigel Havers - Arts Educational School, London
Attended by the actor from the age of 13. 'My brother had gone to Eton,
but I realised pretty quickly that it wasn't the place for me.'
Tamsin Little - Yehudi Menuhin School, Surrey
The violinist studied under Pauline Scott and also Menuhin himself.
‘He became very interested in exercises - in one lesson we pretended
to be windmills.’
Max Beesley – Chetham’s
School of Music, Manchester
Attended by the actor from age 11 on a scholarship. ‘I had a working
class upbringing, but was fortunate to have artistic parents who could
help channel my skills.’
Darcey Bussell - Royal Ballet
Lower School, Richmond
Attended by the former ballerina from the relatively late age
of 13, but she earlier attended the Arts Educational School in London
and started ballet lessons at five.
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